The CEO’s Secret Weapon- Why Intuition Drives Smarter Leadership Decisions

I’ve always trusted my intuition, but last year, it literally saved my life.

After a totally clear mammogram last January, something in me just wouldn’t settle. By March, that quiet gut feeling grew louder and louder until I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I asked for a biopsy and there it was. Stage 3 breast cancer.

If I had waited for “evidence,” I might not be here writing this.

I’m clear now, but that moment changed how deeply I listen, not just in life, but in leadership. In our programs, we teach balanced decision-making: using the head, heart, and gut brains together. Most leaders lean on logic or emotion, but that third voice, the gut is often the one that knows before we do.

Intuition isn’t just a feeling it’s intelligence. Neuroscience shows intuition is subconscious pattern recognition, drawing on experience and stored knowledge to deliver rapid, high-impact decisions. It’s not guesswork, it’s a sophisticated process your brain and body are wired for.

Why Intuition Matters for Leaders 

In today’s fast-paced corporate world, decisions often need to be made with incomplete data and under pressure. That’s where intuition becomes your edge. Research from Yale Insights shows that 85% of CEOs rely on intuition for major decisions, proving it’s not about ignoring data, it’s about integrating it with instinct to see patterns others miss (Yale School of Management).

Intuitive leadership offers tangible benefits:

Speed and agility: In high-stakes moments, waiting for perfect dataisn’tan option. Intuition enables quick, confident decisions.

• Managing complexity: When markets shift or crises hit, intuition helps leaders navigate ambiguity and anticipate trends before they’re obvious.
• Innovation and creativity: Intuition sparks unconventional ideas, driving innovation and competitive advantage.
• Empathy and engagement: Leaders who trust their gut often lead with authenticity, inspiring confidence and loyalty within teams.

Companies with highly engaged, empathetic leaders see up to 21% higher profitability and 29% better retention, a reminder that human-centered leadership pays off.

Steve Jobs famously relied on intuition to guide Apple’s biggest innovations. When data suggested sticking with traditional keyboards, Jobs trusted his gut and pushed for a touchscreen interface on the iPhone. That decision revolutionised the tech industry and created one of the most successful products in history. Jobs often said, “Intuition is a very powerful thing, more powerful than intellect.”

Another example I share with clients is a global sales director that shared how intuition helped secure a major client. The data pointed to a conservative proposal, but something felt off. Trusting her gut, she added a bold, value-driven component to the pitch that wasn’t in the original plan. The client later revealed that this unexpected element was the deciding factor. That instinctive move turned a potential $500K deal into a $2M partnership.

Is Intuition a Memory from the Future? 

Emerging research suggests intuition might even tap into information beyond linear time. Studies from HeartMath and the Institute of Noetic Sciences show subtle shifts in heart rhythm and brain activity seconds before random events occur, as if our bodies sense what’s coming before our minds do. Quantum physics tells us particles share information across time and space. What if our consciousness works the same way? Maybe intuition is how we tune into that field, picking up signals our rational brain can’t yet decode.

For me, this isn’t theory anymore. It’s embodied truth.

My intuition saved my life.

A few tips to strengthen your intuitive leadership

If you want to develop this powerful skill, start here:

• Slow down and listen. Intuition speaks softly. Create stillness, through meditation, reflection, walking, or journaling.
• Track your nudges. When you get a gut feeling, write it down. Check later what happened. Validation strengthens trust.

Engage all three brains. Before big decisions, pause and ask:

• What does my head think? What does my heart feel?
• What does my gut know?
• Look for wisdom in the overlap.

Your intuition is not random; it’s one of your most advanced forms of intelligence. In a world drowning in data and AI, it might just be your lifeline. Trust it. It could strengthen your decision making and change or save your life too.

Written by Renée Giarrusso.